Dongtan Eco-City, China

Arup design and masterplan Dongtan eco-city in China
Dongtan will be a city of three villages that meet to form a city centre. The first demonstrator phase of Dongtan aims to be completed by 2010, in time for the World Expo in Shanghai, and will accommodate a population of up to 5,000. Later phases of development will see the city grow to hold a population of around 80,000 by 2020 and up to 500,000 by 2050.

The delicate nature of the Dongtan wetlands adjacent to the site has been one of the driving factors of the city's design. We plan to protect and enhance the existing wetlands by returning agricultural land to a wetland state creating a 'buffer-zone' between the city and the mudflats - at its narrowest point, this 'buffer-zone' will be 3.5 kilometres wide.

The project will increase bio-diversity on Chongming Island, and will create a city that runs entirely on renewable energy for its buildings, its infrastructure and its transport needs. Dongtan will recover, recycle and reuse 90% of all waste in the city, with the eventual aim of becoming a zero waste city.

Dongtan eco-city incorporates many traditional Chinese design features and combines them with a sustainable approach to modern living, but not at the expense of creating a city that is recognisable as a ‘Chinese’ city.

With the project now entering the implementation phase, SIIC and Arup have been joined by HSBC and Sustainable Development Capital LLP (SDCL) in a long-term strategic partnership to develop the commercial and financing strategy for Dongtan and other eco-cities in China. A key element of this is the Dongtan Institute for Sustainability which will initially be based in Tongji University. We hope the Institute will become one of the world’s centres of excellence for examining the connection between the environment and economic performance.

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